Some Political Criticism

Islands Shipping

Services

AN attack on the shipping service between and New Guinea ports was made in the Federal Par’m ment on June 29 by Senator Foil, who recently visited the Territory.

His main plea, according to Hansard, was made on behalf of round-trippers, travelling “in order to see for the first t*me the beauty and native life of the Islands.’’ He said that the halts at ports were not arranged for the con venience of sightseers and that it was sometimes difficult for the passengers to rest properly at nights, “amid the general dm caused by the cries of the natives and the working of the winches, and the dis charge of cargo to enab’e the ship to sail cs early as possible.”

He said that the vessels were always heavily laden, and must be making huge profits, and that it was time B.P. & Co. displayed more consideration for passen gers and tried to encourage the tourist traffic.

The senator also urged that steps be taken to establish a B class broadcasting station in New Guinea.

All of which shows how impractical these worthy touring politicans some times can be. The B.P. shins must carrv cargo otherwise the service would be useless and unprofitable. Thev must work cargo at night, otherwise they cannot adhere to their timetables. Thev cannot a l ter their timetables because the Fed eral Government compels them to give so manv round trips per annum. The only thmg B.P. could do would be to put on a faster ship than the Montoro. This would hove been done long ago. had the Federal Government not muddled around for about two years, before it could de cide whether it would renew the B.P. contract. As it was. the order for the new ship was given eor| v th’s year, as soon as the contract was given.

Mr. and Mrs. J. Klaucke, of Gizo, Solo n,fyi Islands, returned to B.S.T. from Pn-i'ane bv fVi e Malaita in Julv. They had been in Australia since April.